It was pretty universal that we’ve had some sort of good start (before yesterday) the last 3 performances have been dreadful. We can’t defend set pieces now and we only look remotely capable in attack when our big new signing plays: all I’m suggesting is that people be honest about the start compared to last seasons dreadful performances. At best it’s equally shit. Not sure why I’m not allowed to say that

It was pretty universal that we’ve had some sort of good start (before yesterday) the last 3 performances have been dreadful. We can’t defend set pieces now and we only look remotely capable in attack when our big new signing plays: all I’m suggesting is that people be honest about the start compared to last seasons dreadful performances. At best it’s equally shit. Not sure why I’m not allowed to say that

It is a bit worrying really all things considered and my early season optimism is waning based on the crap we 've been served up recently.Goalkeeper-averageDefence-piss poor. Really hope mina is a worldyMidfield-awful and so easy to get through while not creating much.Forwards- up there with the least effective in the prem for me....dcl, Tosun,niasse. Bloody hell ....dire.

Gonna take balls and time to sort this out. Balls to drop Tosun and Schneiderlin (and give Sig a rocket too) and time to get players in who are better. Until then serving up more of the same will only get the fans on his back and the players heads to go down, making the whole thing a lot more difficult than it needs to be.

1st goal - Zouma tried to step up and play offside, when he should have already been aware that it wasn’t possible and just tracked Arnautovic’s run.

2nd goal - Pickford giving the ball away and 2 defenders letting Yarmalenko shoot with his left foot in the box.

3rd goal - I get that we were pushing for the equaliser, but tactically to leave that much space in the midfield was criminal. So either Silva has to take responsibility there, or Gueye as the DM needs to look at his positioning.

The finishing - absolutely dreadful from Tosun and Niasse. Poor game from Walcott too.

All three goals were goals a top 6 team doesn't concede. Really basic defending, both individually and collectively. I get that Holgate wouldn't be playing ordinarily and that Pickford makes a howler but it's the same every week. The concentration levels and decision making of these players is, and has been for a long time, really poor.

The midfield is garbage. We all know it. They don't protect the defence adequately, they don't supply the attack adequately and they don't control games when we need them to.

On paper, you could see why an incoming manager wouldn't think it was the biggest priority in the squad. Gana probably has some of the best defensive stats around, Schneiderlin's passing stats are good, Gylfi's generally well rated as a no. 10, and then you have kids pushing for a place in Davies and Dowell.

So you can see why a manager would think 'I can work with that, I'll try to address the awful defence and buy some more attacking options as an initial priority'.

But yeah, the midfield doesn't work, and never will with these players. And they're not bad players, any of them. The balance doesn't work, and they don't compliment each other at all.

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Jeff: That's not the way to win.Kathie: Is there a way to win?Jeff: There's a way to lose more slowly.

The midfield is garbage. We all know it. They don't protect the defence adequately, they don't supply the attack adequately and they don't control games when we need them to.

On paper, you could see why an incoming manager wouldn't think it was the biggest priority in the squad. Gana probably has some of the best defensive stats around, Schneiderlin's passing stats are good, Gylfi's generally well rated as a no. 10, and then you have kids pushing for a place in Davies and Dowell.

So you can see why a manager would think 'I can work with that, I'll try to address the awful defence and buy some more attacking options as an initial priority'.

But yeah, the midfield doesn't work, and never will with these players. And they're not bad players, any of them. The balance doesn't work, and they don't compliment each other at all.

If we'd got a new manager in from abroad who hadn't had chance to watch a lot of our play last season I could see that might be a valid argument but Silva had about 6 months to see what everyone else has been seeing for the past 18 months and we still set up the same way.

I get that budget-wise we might have identified more pressing areas as we can't address it all at once but to still have the same midfield three, lining up in the same positions, delivering the same outcome warrants question. Maybe he thought he could get more out of them, I don't know, but it's clearly the biggest issue in the side at the moment.

If we'd got a new manager in from abroad who hadn't had chance to watch a lot of our play last season I could see that might be a valid argument but Silva had about 6 months to see what everyone else has been seeing for the past 18 months and we still set up the same way.

I get that budget-wise we might have identified more pressing areas as we can't address it all at once but to still have the same midfield three, lining up in the same positions, delivering the same outcome warrants question. Maybe he thought he could get more out of them, I don't know, but it's clearly the biggest issue in the side at the moment.

Yeah it’s fair to ask the questions, I think.

I suppose i’d say there were so many issues that needed addressing that, where do you start, and how much can you do in one window?

The left back was a massive priority, the centre backs were a massive priority, better wide players were a priority, centre mid was a priority, striker’s a priority.

They probably thought midfield could cope for now and added Gomes to help.

But yeah, it’s not coping and it’s not working.

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Jeff: That's not the way to win.Kathie: Is there a way to win?Jeff: There's a way to lose more slowly.